


The repercussions of one's early years

by KittyPaw



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Tatooine Slave Culture, The Clone Wars - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:26:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26565079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyPaw/pseuds/KittyPaw
Summary: Our most formative years are the ones when we are young. That is where we learn what to expect from the world, it's when we first begin to learn to read and write, it's when we first begin to notice patterns, it's when we figure the world out for the first time.Anakin Skywalker's messed up version of these formative years have left him with low expectations for the average person's kindness, left him illiterate, left him always believing he needs to be doing something for somebody else. While some of this helps him be a good Jedi, others of these - like his inability to read/write - pose a bit of a problem.(I wrote a one-shot about little Anakin learning to read from Obi-Wan and somebody requested I write how being illiterate would have effected Anakin in The Clone Wars)
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 6
Kudos: 215





	The repercussions of one's early years

Anakin Skywalker did not know how to read.

Maybe it would have been a good idea to admit that to Obi-Wan earlier in life, but unfortunately, he did not. He just did a really good job of avoiding ever having to write anything, sign anything, or be given directions via text. He was initially afraid that taking on a padawan would eventually reveal this, but he liked Ahsoka. And besides, now he could have her read and write everything instead.

Ahsoka was smarter than she acted, though.

"Master... isn't it your job to do the written reports?" Ahsoka asked suspiciously as she accepted the pen.

"Not for us, it isn't," Anakin said firmly. "I have other, more important things to do."

"Like what?"

"Fly this freaking _ship_ , for one," Anakin reminded her. They were on their way back to Coruscant and were expected to have a full written report done and handed to the council before the oral report in a council session. As the highest in ranking on the ship (and with no Obi-Wan to pin this on) he was technically supposed to do it, but he wasn't exactly being _lazy_.

"I can fly the ship," Ahsoka offered, but before she even finished Anakin was already shaking his head.

"Nope, Ahsoka. No you can't. Not like I can, anyway." He sat back, but the total stillness indicated she still hadn't started. "Oh for heaven's sake Ahsoka, we're only two weeks into your apprenticeship and I'm already sick of your defiance. Just do it."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Whatever, master." She paused. "What do I write?" Ahsoka was still staring at him, and it occurred to him that Ahsoka might not know how to do a report any better than he knew how to read or write.

"How about I say it out loud, and you write it?" Anakin offered.

"I thought you needed to fly the ship?"

"I don't need my hands to speak," Anakin grumbled. "And besides, it'll be good for you to learn early on."

"I'm fourteen. I probably won't be knighted for another eight-to-ten years," Ahsoka reminded him. "I'm good." When Anakin didn't answer, she raised an eyebrow. "What's the _real_ reason you don't want to do the council report?"

Anakin sighed. "The real reason is... I've never really done it. I always have Obi-Wan do it and I'm afraid I'll mess up."

"You'll do better than me," Ahsoka pointed out. "I'd just mess it up worse. I'm just a padawan."

Anakin huffed. "I don't know how to read and write, alright? Now just write down what I say and be done with it." Ahsoka went silent and didn't ask any more questions as Anakin relayed what he wanted her to write.

***

Ahsoka and Anakin never really confronted this incident, but as the weirdness in her master grew, she eventually decided to speak to Obi-Wan.

"Master Kenobi?" She tentatively asked.

"Yes, Ahsoka?" He warmly responded.

His cordiality gave her courage to continue. "I was wondering if you would tell me more about Anakin," she rushed.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, frowning a bit. "Why is that?"

"Well, he's been acting weird." Obi-Wan indicated that was too vague, so she elaborated, "He supposedly grew up on Tatooine, but when we went back there, he went all dark and zoned out of all conversation." The look of understanding washed over Obi-Wan's face, but Ahsoka wasn't done. "And sometimes if we fail a mission, he gets all nervous and bites his lip, but eventually seems to calm himself down, kind of like he's realizing we're not going to get in trouble. And I recently found out... that he's illiterate."

The last one surprised Obi-Wan, but then he settled back. "Well, I didn't know he was illiterate, but it makes a lot of sense. I should have known." He shook his head, muttering _of course_ to himself.

"Why not? Why is he so... _weird_?"

Obi-Wan looked like he was debating how much to say. "Anakin probably wouldn't want me to tell you," he began, "but I think you need to know, in order for you guys to have a successful master-padawan relationship. But talk to him about it - don't tell him I told you. See if you can get him to talk to you about it."

"What happened?"

"Anakin... wasn't raised in the temple."

"I know," Ahsoka said, "it's this big thing all the younglings were always whispering about. He didn't come here until he was nine."

"And do you know what his life was like before that?"

"Well," Ahsoka said slowly, "I know he grew up on Tatooine. And... yeah, that's it."

Obi-Wan looked down. "People don't exactly follow the antislavery laws in the Outer Rim, Ahsoka." Her heart physically sank as she got the implication.

"So he...?"

"He was born into bondage. His mother was sold into slavery before he was born."

Oh.

 _Oh_.

 _Ohhhhhhhhhhh_.

"If I'd known," Ahsoka whispered, "I wouldn't have pushed so hard."

Obi-Wan nodded silently. "I can't really imagine his early life, but I guess I shouldn't have assumed he would have been taught to read and write when for his entire life until he was nine..." he shook his head. "I'll talk to him about it. I won't tell him you told me."

"Thanks," Ahsoka said.

And now she felt like a really really really really really bad padawan.

~

Ahsoka never tried to make him do the writing again.

She always covered all of it, when when they were given text directions, she just immediately read them out loud without a second thought, making it seem normal. But then there was the day they were being sent to Zygerria, Ahsoka almost wanted to throw up.

"And they're sending _Anakin_ with us on this mission?!" Ahsoka hissed to Obi-Wan.

"I fought the decision," Obi-Wan informed her. "But I was the only one who seemed to care about him as a person."

So Ahsoka decided to make the best of it and use it as an opportunity maybe get him to talk.

"Hey," Ahsoka said tentatively, approaching Anakin - he had a complex range of negative emotions flinging themselves at her, but when he looked up and saw her, he reigned them all in and pretended to be okay.

"Hey, Snips!"

"Skyguy," she said with a smirk. Then she bit her lip. "Listen, you've been acting kind of weird -"

"No I haven't," Anakin said quickly. Too quickly.

"Listen, something upsetting you," Ahsoka informed him. "And if you want to talk about anything... I want you to know I'm here."

Anakin stared at her, and then shook his head. "You don't need to worry yourself with my problems."

"Obi-Wan said I should talk to you."

Anakin's head snapped up. "How much did he say?"

"Not much," Ahsoka quickly replied. "Just... that you might need to talk. And I really want to be there for you, Master."

And that was how she finally got Anakin to open up about his past to her. And even though his history was brutal, the fact that he felt comfortable talking to her warmed her inside.

~

**Okay, I don't know why I got so angsty there - this really developed a plot. Fanfictions do that on their own, you know. :) I really hope you enjoyed!**


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